Attributes of God

Throughout history, people have believed there is a reality in the universe greater than themselves. They have called this reality by the name of God. They worship God as the Supreme Being, the Creator and Ruler of the Universe, and as knowing, all powerful, infinite and ever present. The concept of this Supreme Being is common to all Ghanaian societies who gave Him their local names. The Akan call him ‘Nyame’, the Ewe call him ‘Mawu’ the Ga call him ‘Nyonmo’, etc. The immediacy of God in African affairs is also demonstrated through the God related names we bear. Theophanous names like Nyamekye (gift of God) and Dardom (depend on God) are examples from Akan names.  The African view of the world is nourished by a cosmology that is founded on a Source Being, the Supreme God, and other divine beings that are associated with God. As God is the foundation of life, so nothing happens without God. God lives, He does not die, and so indeed humans do not die. Even when we do not occupy a touchable body, we still live on. The way we experience God is portrayed in the language we use about God, especially the names by which God is known.  What needs to be said is that these names are still current and that more names descriptive of people’s experience of God are available in proverbs, songs, and prayers. When words fail, symbols take over. For the Akan of Ghana the Adinkra symbols. The star in Adinkra is a symbol that says, “Like the star, I depend on God and not on myself”. The symbol of hope says, “God, there is something in the heavens, let it reach my hands”. People believe that all the good and well-being they enjoy come from God, and that if one is not yet enjoying well-being it is because ones time has not yet come.  

The attribute of God which describes his ability to do whatever He wills. The omnipotence of God refers to him being all powerful.

 God's will is limited by His nature, and He therefore cannot do anything contrary to His nature as God, such as to ignore sin, to sin, or to do something absurd or self-contradictory. God is not controlled by His power, but has complete control over it; otherwise He would not be a free being. To a certain extent, He has voluntarily limited Himself by the free will of His rational creatures. This means that if God says something will happen.   He has the power to make sure that it will happen.  Therefore, when He promises eternal life to those who believe in Christ, He has the power to grant it.   Just as He cannot sin, He has the power to forgive those who do. There is nothing that God cannot do except that which goes against His nature. God alone has the power to conquer sin and death. He even created Satan who disobeyed and fell, therefore, He has power over him. He promised to give us the power to overcome he that is in the world. The well known “Gye Nyame” in Akan expression shows that without God nothing holds together, and is variously interpreted as (except God or unless God).

The omnipresence of God refers to him being present everywhere. The attribute of God by which He fills the universe in all its parts and is present everywhere at once. Not a part, but the whole of God is present in every place. This is true of all three members of the Trinity. They are so closely related that where one is the others can be said to be, also. Therefore, when man is sinning God is there. If a child is doing something a parent has told him not to do, God is there. There is no place man can go to hide from God. There is no place to go where God is not already there. The concept of the Supreme Being is central in the life of the traditional Ghanaian. He is associated to everyone. All that one needs to do, if one desires to speak to him is to speak to the winds. Onyame ehuwo (God has seen you) is normally used to inform people who misbehave with the mind that no one is seeing them. Nothing can be hidden from God, He sees everything in the dark.

The omniscience of God refers to him being all knowing. The attribute of God by which God perfectly and eternally knows all things which can be known, past, present, and future. God knows how best to attain His desired ends. This, like omnipresence, demonstrates that man cannot hide from God because God knows all things. He knows the number of hairs on each head, He knows the heart and thoughts of every man. Just because no man is around to see us do wrong doesn't mean nobody saw it happen - God did. The proverbial tree falling in the forest that doesn't make a sound because no man was there to see it or know about it falling at that time, God sees and knows. Our intentions in the things we do are known to God. We need to be sure that our attitudes are congruent with our actions because God knows when we are doing things for the wrong reasons or motives. God knows everything that has happened and everything that will happen. He knows when we do things for the wrong reasons and when we do things for the right reasons. All things we do should be to serve Him and bring glory to Him.

All human relations are affected by the belief that we all belong together in God. Onyame nti (because of God, or for the sake of God), we act or refrain from acting. God is experienced as the sole creator and sustainer of all things, who expects human beings to be to God as children and to each other as siblings, and to respect the earth and other natural phenomena. When it comes to libation prayer the name of God is mentioned before any other name, this shows his supremacy. Ghanaians fear and praise God in many ways, through inscriptions on Lorries with the believe that one will be fortunate enough to have Gods omnipotence on his or her side. Example of such inscription is “Wonderful Jesus”. The belief in a supreme being is in fact basic to the Ghanaians traditional way of life.

THE ORDER OF THE VOLTA

THE ADVISER OF RADIO PEACE WINNEBA, MR DAVID GHARTEY-TAGOE IS THE RECIPIENT OF ONE OF THE HIGHEST AND MOST COVETED AWARDS OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA-“THE ORDER OF THE VOLTA”.

The adviser of Radio Peace, Winneba, Mr. David Kweku Ehun Ghartey-Tagoe, is the proud recipient of one of the highest and most coveted awards of the republic of Ghana “The Order of the Volta” for his remarkable public service. This was contained in a press release from the office of the president- Professor John Evans Atta Mills, as part of the 51^st republic day celebration. As a teacher, Mr. Ghartey-Tagoe taught class one in the primary school through upper six of the secondary to the post-graduate students in three public universities at home and abroad. As a broadcaster, he hit the headlines as a radio-producer newsreader even as a novice. On television, he was a legend. He was Ghana’s first ever television newscaster and pioneer programme- producer-director.  He has written papers and books- the latest of which is entitled “The Broadcaster’s Companion”. This book is reviewed and described as the first of it’s kind anywhere in the world. By dint of hardwork, he earned promotions as a Radio producer-newsreader, Premier television newscaster, Head of television programmes, Director of television, Deputy Director General and Director General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation. He was also a United Nations Broadcast Consultant, Expert and Project Co-ordinator.

He worked hard to enhance the professional and administrative standards in nine East and Southern African countries including Kenya, Botswana Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. While on this huge international assignment, the government of Ghana requested him to return to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation to assist restore the lost proud image of GBC-TV, which then had sunk very low. He accordingly returned inspite of formidable challenges and swiftly took initiatives to phenomenally improve programmes in quality and quantity. Black and white television transformed into sparkling colour, morning shows began and so on. The great expectations of the government and people of Ghana could neither be compromised nor negotiated. Retired from active service yet not tired, David Kweku Ehun Ghartey-Tagoe returned home- Winneba and with the family established Radio Peace, the first ever community radio in the central region. This community radio limited by guarantee and not for profit, is professionally by the founders but is owned by all listeners who are stakeholders. 

It is important to observe, that Radio Peace works so hard inspite of formidable challenges as to merit awards annually- locally, nationally and internationally. David Ghartey-Tagoe has already been declared a distinguished son of the Effutu State. Indeed, he has contributed considerable service to Africa, mother Ghana and his home municipality- Effutu. The Board of Governors, Management, Staff, Hyewbↄ Kuw and all listeners who are stakeholders congratulates him. Mbo Na Yε !!!

THE IMPORTANCE OF TELEVISION IN OUR MODERN SOCIETY

THE IMPORTANCE OF TELEVISION IN OUR MODERN SOCIETY

The thinking that television is doing more harm than good to the modern society is clear indication of narrow mindedness. I may sound conclusive and harsh but please permit me to air my views to erase the wrong impression people have been creating in recent times wherein television is said to be a nuisance in today’s society.

Television I will say is an electronic medium through which information is disseminated to the public, hence one cannot in anyway underestimate its usefulness.

 That some of the pictures shown on the television do not whims and caprices of just a fraction of the populace who are trumpeting that it is doing more harm than good is myopic, to say the least. They are simply not abreast with time. Also the inappropriateness of the times for certain programmes as some people say is not justified, since “one man’s meat is another man’s poison”. A night trader or worker would always desire to watch all good programmes in the day while it is the wish of the day worker to have the programme watched in the evening.

Television today has brought about a lot of education to the homes of many Ghanaians. In the comfort of one’s home, he watches and studies events around the world. Depletion of the forest i which is so rampant in our time is being addressed through cartoon shows and organisation seminars. From these educational programmes, we learn about the rate at which depleting our forests and the dangers it poses to us. Not only that, but also we are shown means by which we can re-plant trees to remedy the situation.

For those who abhor visiting public places of entertainment, television has come to solve their problems. “Music music” is one programme that gives good music to many such people. What about “trotro”, “Efiewura”, “in the name of love”, “sports highlight”? Just to mention a few. Lessons from these shows are fare reaching. Ironically those who say television is causing harm are the same people who are glued television sets when international soccer matches are being played or when Joshua Clottey or Joseph Agbeko fights. If really television is causing harm why do those who go against it keep them in their rooms? After all they should know that ‘out of sight, out of mind’.

It interests me to draw attention on the international exposure that we get from television. How can we understand the horror and destruction that is left after wars? Don’t these things give us a clue of what our country shall become if we follow such paths? 

Paramount among the advantages of television is the fact that it promotes business to boost the economy of the state through advertisements. Traders and shop owners promote sales on the screens and as well the viewers are given the right to choose among several makes or types of goods and services.

It is my hope that my submission will go a long way to convince those harbouring that school of thought to hail the usefulness of television